Howard Hughes likely used flying his airplane as a way to distract him from his OCD. A physical activity such as jogging is not less effective because your mind can still be obsessing while you run. For example, good game of bridge, a crossword puzzle, or even some work problem as long as it give you pleasure. If your car was stuck in the mud wouldn’t you leave it and go find another way home? The best kinds of refocusing activities are those that require concentration, strategy and involve other people. Take advantage of that stupidity and work around it by putting another more enjoyable thought in its place-shift gears. Remember, OCD urges are very strong and powerful but they are stupid.
![mind lock book mind lock book](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SN7oKNOfz0I/maxresdefault_live.jpg)
![mind lock book mind lock book](https://optimizehq.imgix.net/philosophers-notes/book-covers/jay-z-cover.jpg)
Usually you won’t need to distract yourself longer than 15 minutes. The key to the Refocus step is to do another behavior that you enjoy doing. When my brain starts to shift properly my uncomfortable feelings will fade.” This causes me to have very uncomfortable feelings but if I change my behavior and not give in to my compulsion, over time my broken gearshift will become unstuck. Say to yourself, “It’s not me, it’s my OCD.” My brain is stuck in gear and its “error-detection circuit” keeps firing inappropriately. You don’t have to believe everything you think. Recognize reality and do not be overcome by the feelings these thoughts cause. Label the intrusive thought or urge just what it is: an obsessive thought or compulsive urge. But by applying the 4-Step technique, you can teach your brain to automatically shift and not get stuck forever. They just keep replaying and replaying like a record player needle stuck in the groove or scratch of the record. But for OCD suffers their negative thoughts get stuck and never pass through the brain’s gateway. In most people the processing centers of their brain work smoothly like an automatic transmission on a car. It is called “brain lock” because four key structures of the brain lock and start sending false messages. Why can’t a person just use will- power to get over unwanted thoughts? Using brain imagining new research pinpoints OCD as a bio chemical problem caused from a malfunction in the circuitry of the brain.
![mind lock book mind lock book](https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/378e743c-9479-44a5-be14-eec2da39a2bc.f960d32153dd96a394def8e8fe540cbd.jpeg)
With OCD, the thoughts seem impossible to overcome. Your thoughts are difficult to ignore but not impossible. You are not obsessed, you are ruminating and it is quite normal and pleasant.
![mind lock book mind lock book](https://optimizehq.imgix.net/philosophers-notes/book-covers/coming-alive-cover.jpg)
What is normal? Suppose you meet an attractive person at a party and you can’t get them out of your mind. Giving into unwanted behavior strengthens the compulsion. From Latin meaning “to besiege”, the thoughts besiege and annoy the heck out of you.ĬOMPULSIONS: are the behaviors people with OCD perform in a vain attempt to exorcise the fears and anxieties caused by their obsessions. OBSESSION: Intrusive, unwelcome, distressing thoughts or mental images. Schwartz defines characteristics of OCD as c ompulsive rituals, unreasonable hoarding or uncontrollable runaway thoughts, uncontrolled eating, drinking, nail biting, hair pulling, compulsive shopping, gambling, drug abuse and impulsive sexual behavior. OCD is a life- long disorder with obsessions and compulsions that affects 5 million Americans.
Mind lock book free#
If you ever wonder if you have OCD or OCD tendencies, or if you can’t rid yourself of harmful thoughts, I recommend the book Brain Lock, Free Yourself from Obsessive Compulsive Behavior by Jeffrey M.